Carbolic Acid, Phenic Acid, or Phenol, is largely employed as a disinfectant, and is often supplied in ordinary beer-bottles without labels.

Symptoms.—An intense burning pain extending from the mouth to the stomach and intestines. Indications of collapse soon supervene. The skin is cold and clammy, and the lips, eyelids, and ears, are livid. This is followed by insensibility, coma, stertorous breathing, abolition of reflex movements, hurried and shallowed respiration, and death. The pupils are usually contracted, and the urine, if not suppressed, is dark in colour, or even black. Patients often improve for a time, and then die suddenly from collapse. When the poison has been absorbed through the skin or mucous membranes, a mild form of delirium, with great weakness and lividity, are the first signs.

Post-Mortem.—If strong acid has been swallowed, the lips and mucous membranes are hardened, whitened, and corrugated. In the stomach the tops of the folds are whitened and eroded, while the furrows are intensely inflamed.

Treatment.—Soluble sulphates which form harmless sulpho-carbolates in the blood should be administered at once. An ounce of Epsom salts or of Glauber's salts dissolved in a pint of water will answer the purpose admirably. After this an emetic of sulphate of zinc may be given. White of egg and water or olive-oil may prove useful. Warmth should be applied to the body.

Fatal Dose.—One drachm, but recovery has taken place after much larger quantities, if well diluted or taken after a meal.

Tests are not necessary, as the smell of carbolic acid is characteristic.

Local action of carbolic acid produces anÆsthesia and necrosis. Accidents sometimes happen from too strong lotions applied as surgical dressings.

Lysol is a compound of cresol and linseed-oil soap, and is much less toxic than carbolic acid.